as a matter of international law, the united states is in an armed conflict with al-qaeda, the taliban and associated forces in response to the 9/11 attacks, and we may also use force consistent with our inherent rights of self-defense -- of national self-defense. there is nothing in international law that bans the use of remotely-piloted aircraft for this purpose or that prohibits us from using lethal force against our enemies outside of an active battlefield, at least when the country involved consents or is unable or unwilling to take action against the threat. second, targeted strikes are ethical. without question the ability to target a specific individual from hundreds or thousands of miles away raises profound questions. here i think it is useful to consider such strikes against the basic principles of the law of war that govern the use of force. targeted strikes conform to the principle of necessity. the requirement that the target have definite military value. in this armed conflict, individuals who are part of al-qaeda or its associated forces are e legitimate military target